We've been enjoying a lot more comfort food these days than we usually do. It just feels good to eat carbs. Scientifically speaking, carbohydrates work on our brains the same way anti-depressant medicines do - they release serotonin, a feel-good, mood boosting chemical we can all probably use more of right now. Whenever I start to feel guilty about my carb consumption, I'm reminded of author Michael Pollan's advice on good nutrition: eat real food, not too much, mostly plants. So here's a delicious, feel good, plant based (but not vegan) carb lovers dinner that hits all three of Pollan's tenants. And it showcases kale, which we can all feel good about eating (full disclosure - my kids mostly ate around the kale, but hey, I tried).
Sure, it's pasta, but it's got kale!
What makes this dish so great is it's versatility. You can really use any type of pasta, any leafy green, and any creamy dairy product to achieve a similar result. The most important piece of this recipe is the parmesan breadcrumbs. They add a wonderful texture and savory umami to the pasta that you just can't get from cheese alone. And I made mine with a few smushed King's Hawaiian hot dog buns I found in the freezer, so it is great for using up the leftovers.
Savory, toasty parmesan breadcrumbs make the dish
Pasta with Kale, Mushrooms and Parmesan Breadcrumbs (serves 6)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (lightly toast bread to dry it out and crumble by hand, or pulse in food processor)
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb pasta (I used orecchietti)
4 cups kale finely shredded chiffonade (I used Tuscan Lacinto kale)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (can omit if you don't like any spice)
3 cloves garlic, smashed, but not chopped
1 cup chicken stock/broth
1/3 cup Marsala wine (sherry or Madiera would also work)
1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Make parmesan bread crumbs: Combine breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil and parmesan cheese and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 until crumbs are golden brown (5-10 minutes depending on size and type of breadcrumbs use) and toasted. Do this before you do anything else to ensure your crumbs don't burn. You really have to watch them.
Make pasta and sauce: Cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water. While pasta cooks, sautée mushrooms in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat until softened and golden brown. Make sure your pan is large enough to hold the kale and pasta. Add Marsala wine and cook until reduced by half. Remove mushrooms and sauce from pan and set aside in a bowl. To same pan, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and turn heat down to medium-low. Add garlic cloves and sautée until golden, then remove from pan. Add kale, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt (carefully, because there is so much water in the kale it can make the oil spatter). Sauteé kale until it begins to wilt, then add chicken broth and garlic back to pan and cook, covered, until kale is soft and liquid is reduced by half. Mash garlic with the back of a spoon. Add ricotta and heavy cream to pan and stir to combine. Add Marsala mushrooms back to the pan. Heat until sauce is thickened. Add cooked pasta to the pan and stir to combine, adding some pasta cooking water to get a velvety consistency (add a little at a time until the sauce feels silky) . Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Serve pasta in a bowl topped with breadcrumbs.
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